From sitting in the rain
by amichka
Summary: Roy gets sick from falling asleep in the rain. Ed finds him and must take care of him while he's sick along with a few other people. Just read and review! rated for safety


_Roy gets sick, Hughes tries to help out, lunch with Ed, Roy, and Hughes, It's all kind of weird…I know some things don't make a lot of sense, because Al has his body back at the same time as Hughes is alive and Roy still has two eyes and yada yada yada! It's all just for the sake of the story…so please don't complain!_

The quiet streets of Central were almost unbearable at this time of night. In fact, it was only at this time that they were quiet at all. It was nearly midnight and only one man walked these empty streets. The frosty air tempted him to pull closer into his jacket, but there really was no point. He was soaked to the bone, and now shivered fiercely as he walked, his eyes trying their hardest to pull themselves closed.

It started to rain again. He cursed under his breath at his misfortune. He must have been miles from his house by now. He scanned the shops, searching for any "OPEN" signs, but there were none. So he sat down on the curb and wrapped his arms around himself. With each passing minute, the rain poured harder onto him, flattening his dark hair into his face. He rested his head on his knees and closed his eyes.

"Hey… Hey!" Ed had to shout for Roy to hear him above the roar of the rain. He tapped Roy's shoulder repeatedly. "Hey, Mustang!" Roy's eyes opened slowly and he turned around to look up at Ed. "What are you doing out in the rain!" Ed shouted. Roy turned back around and continued to rest his head. "You idiot! You're gonna get sick out here!" He grabbed Roy's arm. "Come on…" he said sighing.

Ed pulled Roy up to his feet. Roy's head felt heavy and he stumbled off the curb, but then put his leg out and caught himself. Ed grabbed the back of Roy's coat and pulled him back onto the sidewalk. Ed signed, helping Roy back into a standing position. "Follow me…" Roy walked beside Ed, putting out one hand on his shoulder to steady himself. Ed pointed and said something, but Roy couldn't hear him over the rain. He just nodded and followed Ed into the small house.

Roy stumbled through the doorway after Ed. Ed pulled Roy's jacket off of him and it instantly flopped to the floor in a big, wet heap. Ed reached down and hung it on the coat rack. "So tell me! What were you doing sitting out there like that? It was pretty stupid!" Ed said to him, annoyed.

"I was too tired to walk all the way home…" muttered Roy.

"So you decide to sit on the side of the road in the middle of a storm." said Ed sarcastically. "Great idea, Colonel." Roy slumped over onto the couch. "Hey, you're getting the couch all wet!" shouted Ed. "Go take a shower…I'll…uh…try and find you something to wear…" Ed said realizing that none of his tiny clothes would ever fit Roy. Roy nodded and pushed himself up off the couch heading towards the hallway.

Roy took off his soaking wet clothes and put them in a little pile on the floor in the corner. He turned the water on hot and stepped in. For a while he just stood there, letting the scorching water run over him, almost falling asleep. Then he grabbed the soap and began to wash himself.

Ed was in his room searching through his dresser. All of his clothes were way, WAY, too small for Roy. He then went into Al's room. Al was sleeping peacefully on his bed. Al had only had his body back for a couple of months, but he looked just how Ed had remembered him. He hated to admit it, but Al was a lot taller than Ed. Maybe some of his clothes would fit Roy.

He shook his brother slightly. "Hey, Al. We have a problem." He whispered. Al tensed up and moaned.

"What is it, brother?" he replied, still half asleep. When Al heard the water running from the bathroom, he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Who's here?" he asked, now much more alert.

"I found Mustang sitting outside in Downtown Central in the pouring rain…he's taking a shower." Ed said.

"What? What was he doing out there?" Al asked, concerned.

"I have no idea…but his clothes are soaking…and he has nothing to wear."

"Well, he can borrow some of mine, if it'll fit him." said Al, getting up and walking to his dresser. He opened the top drawer and shuffled around looking for something. He pulled out a big baggy blue t-shirt that he only ever wore to sleep in. Then he pulled out a pair of boxers and some sweat pants. "I guess this will fit. It's the biggest clothes I've got." He said.

Ed walked to the bathroom when he heard the water creak off.

"Hey, Colonel! I got some clothes here that might fit you. He cracked open the door and threw the clothes at Roy. Then Ed closed the door quickly. Roy dried off then pulled the boxers on, and while they were a little too tight, they were better than wearing his own wet ones, or Ed's (which would without a doubt be far too small). Then he slipped the shirt on, which was actually too big, and then he pulled on the sweats.

He dried his hair and it sprung out in a million different directions. He opened the door and steam spilled out and disappeared into the cold air. He walked into the living room, and looked around. Ed was sitting in the recliner, and Al was seated on the couch. Roy took a seat on the far side of the couch and propped his head against the armrest. Al was sitting with his hand holding up his head, and his elbow propped up on his leg. Ed was staring at Roy with a suspicious glare. Roy was being way too quiet. It was very un-Mustang-like.

"Ahem." said Ed. Roy's eyes shot open and darted tiredly to Ed. "So." said Ed. "You gonna tell us the real reason why you were being an idiot, sitting out in the rain at twelve at night?" There was a long pause. "Well?"

"No." said Roy. Ed's eyes lit up and his face turned red with anger.

"What!" he yelled. Roy flinched. His head was pounding.

"Brother!" Al spat at Ed. Roy tried to ignore their arguing. Their yells and insults, most of which came from Ed and were directed to Roy, turned into distant muffling. He drifted off to sleep in a matter of seconds.

_Roy had a marvelous dream about becoming Fuhrer. His hair was slicked back, and he wore his many stars and stripes proudly. He was surrounded by pretty military women wearing miniskirts._

Roy rolled over, expecting to be sprawled out across his own king sized bed. Instead he rolled himself right off the couch and bumped his head on the coffee table in Edward's living room. It took him a few seconds to remember how he'd gotten there. Then it all came back to him.

He sat up on the carpet and rubbed the small bump on his head. Then he yawned and tried to get up, but his head started to pound and he got really dizzy. He slumped back onto the couch, moaning and rubbing his temples. At that moment, Ed and Al walked in. Al was wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants, and Ed was wearing his usual outfit.

Al noticed Roy was in pain, and rushed to him. "Are you okay, Colonel Mustang?" Roy managed a slight nod, but then stopped when it made his head pound harder. Al put the back of his hand to Roy's forehead and then frowned. "You have a fever. Ed, get him some medicine; I'll start on breakfast."

"Why do I gotta take care of 'im?" Ed asked, frustrated.

"Because, if you cook, we'll all be sick." He laughed. Ed didn't think it was very funny, but shuffled his feet towards the medicine cabinet, grumbling. Then he poured some water into a plastic cup and handed the pills and the water to Roy.

Roy hesitated, wondering if Ed would go so far as to poison him, then decided against it and took the medicine obediently. All of a sudden, he dropped the empty cup and put his hands to his mouth, coughing uncontrollably. Al awkwardly tried to comfort him. When Roy stopped, Al got up.

"I-I'll make some breakfast now."

Al made a delicious batch of blueberry pancakes. Roy ate half of his, and then fell asleep, with the plate still in his lap.

"I'm worried, Ed. Do you think we should ask Hawkeye or someone to come and help us?" said Al. Ed was stuffing his face with the pancakes, and then swallowed.

"Well, that would make our lives a lot easier…" said Ed, stuffing more food into his mouth.

"He seems…different than usual." said Al.

"Well yah…he'sh shick, aint e?" said Ed, with a mouth full of food.

"No, that's not what I mean…he seems worried…or maybe…depressed…" Ed took a huge gulp of his breakfast then stared at Roy. He was lying on his back with one hand on his thigh and the other hanging off the couch. His head was leaning on its side and his mouth was slightly open. Then he took a quick breath, his eyes squinted, and he turned his head towards them slightly.

"What do you think's wrong?" asked Ed. He seemed very serious and concerned (which was odd for Ed, but even odder because he was concerned for Mustang). Al just shrugged and got up. He stretched and yawned and started to clean up their dishes. "Y'know…" Ed started. "Maybe we should call Hawkeye."

Riza arrived at work first that morning (as she did almost every morning). She set her things on her desk and sighed, knowing that the Colonel would be late…again. She set the day's stacks of paperwork on Roy's and the others desks.

Riza was starting to get very ticked off. Correction: She already was extremely ticked off. She had been ticked off for an hour and forty five minutes, and she'd continue to be ticked off unless the Colonel got his sorry self to work! Havoc, Fuery, Breda, and Falman had arrived two hours ago, but Roy was no where to be found. She had gotten so used to him being his usual 15 minutes late to work, that it had become routine for her. But this was just crazy!

She looked up at the clock on the wall, and then looked over to Roy's empty desk and the large stack of paperwork that had been growing exponentially for the past two hours. The phone rang and she picked it up on the first ring.

"Hello, Lieutenant Hawkeye speaking…Oh Alphonse! What a pleasant surprise! ...What! What happened!" she paused, and then sighed deeply. "I'll be right there." She placed the phone back on its hook. Then stood and grabbed her coat. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Then she left without another word.

Al was sitting in the chair, reading his book intently. Ed was doodling arrays on a napkin with a green crayon. He was extremely bored. There was a knock at the door and the two brothers both looked up from what they were doing.

"I'll get it!" Ed shot up; relieved he had something to do, even if it was just answering the door. He walked down the hall and opened the front door. Lieutenant Hawkeye stood on the porch.

"Good morning Edward. I received a phone call from Alphonse concerning the Colonel. May I come in?"

"Yeah… yeah of course Lieutenant."

"Thank you." She walked through the doorway and looked around the tiny house. "So, is the Colonel here?" She asked.

"Oh! Yeah, come on…" She followed him into the living room.

Al looked up from his book and placed it on the table. Riza spotted a lump of blankets on the couch. Then she noticed bits of black hair sticking out of the top of the pile.

"Colonel!" he whispered and rushed to the couch, leaning down beside him. She dug deep into the blankets and finally reached Roy's face. His closed eyes had tired circles underneath them, and his hair was messily sprawled over the top of his head. He squinted when his eyes met the light of the room, and he dug his head deeper into his pillow. Riza closed her eyes and signed in relief. Then she straightened herself again and stood. She ripped the blankets off of Roy and he started to shiver.

He sat up opened his eyes. He looked up at Riza, his vision just beginning to come back into focus. Riza turned to Edward.

"What happened, exactly?" she asked him.

"I was on my way home from the train station when I saw him sitting on the side of the road in the middle of a storm. Then I just brought him back here, he had a shower and fell asleep. Oh! And then this morning he ate some breakfast and fell asleep again." Ed sighed. "I asked him what he was doing out there, but he wouldn't tell me." Riza frowned and looked over to Roy. There was a blank expression on his face. Every once in a while he'd almost fall over, but then jerk himself back sitting upright.

Roy started to cough again, one hand over his mouth and the other arm around his middle, gripping his side. Riza sat down and patted his back.

"He's really sick…" she said. Then all of a sudden he stopped coughing and held his head with both hands. He was still shivering but he was burning up. "Colonel!" said Riza again.

"I-I'm fine, H-Hawkeye…" he stuttered. "My head hurts a little is all." He whispered; his voice was hoarse and dry.

"Edward, get him some water!" barked Riza.

"Y-yes, sir!" He jumped up and ran to the sink. He hated to be helping Mustang, but he was afraid of what would happen to him if he didn't do as Hawkeye said.

"H-here you go." said Ed nervously, handing the water to Riza.

"Thank you." she replied, putting the cup to Roy's lips. He sipped the water and his face relaxed some. Riza set the cup on the table and sat on the floor beside Roy. He just sat there with his eyes closed.

There was a loud knock at the door. Roy grabbed his head as the sound made his head pound again. Everyone else just looked up. Riza got up and sat back down on the couch. Ed and Al looked over at each other. Ed sighed and got up.

"I'll get it." he said, annoyed. He went to the door and looked through the peephole. He sighed again, this time much deeper, and opened the door.

"Hey Hughes." he said casually. "Hiya, Ed! How's it going?" said Hughes. "Can I come in?"

"Sure…" he said with another sigh.

"Uh…nice place you got here…" said Hughes looking around the cramped little house, unsure of what he had just said.

"What did you want, Hughes? I'm kinda busy at the moment."

"Well…I just wanted to ask you if…" A moan came from the end of the hall, and a wicked smile grew across Hughes' face. "I didn't know you had company!" said Hughes, pushing himself past Ed.

"No! What did you want to…?" Ed called to Hughes. His loud shouting issued another moan of pain from Roy as he clutched his throbbing head. Hughes walked into the living room.

"Roy! What are you doing here?" said Hughes loudly when he spotted his friend. "Oh no…" mumbled Roy as loud as he could without worsening his head ache.

"How have you been, Roy?" asked Hughes.

"Could you keep it down Hughes? The Colonel isn't feeling well." said Hawkeye. Hughes hadn't even noticed her until now.

"…and Lieutenant Hawkeye. You guys are having a party without me!"

"Just get out of here, Maes!" shouted Roy and everyone looked to him shocked. Riza ran her hand through Roy's hair, doing her best to flatten the stubborn mess on his head.

"Since you won't be coming into work today, I should be going. If neither of our work gets done, we'll be in big trouble with the higher ups." She whispered to him, and he frowned, but nodded.

She stood and saluted to her superior officer, and he smiled and lay back onto the couch. Hughes stepped aside to allow Hawkeye through the door, and then he sat down beside the resting Colonel. Roy frowned and looked up at Hughes who was smiling evilly.

"What is it Maes?" asked Roy.

"Oh, I just came to ask Edward if he'd seen you lately…but…here you are!"

"And why'd you want to see me?" he asked rubbing his head.

"Can't a guy drop in to see how his best friend's doing every once in a while?" Roy forced a glare at Maes, but stopped when Hughes glared back. He was too tired to have a staring contest right now.

"I guess so…" Roy sighed, closing his eyes.

"Great! We'll have you feeling better in no time at all! Right guys?" Maes turned to Ed and Al. They panicked.

"Well…uh…" They muttered in unison. But Al beat Ed to the escape. "I have to go…to the store!" yelled Al.

"And I'll come with you!" barked Ed.

"No, brother. I'll get done much faster if I go alone." Ed moaned disappointedly and sat back down.

_I'm not completely finished with it, but I do have a few more paragraphs that didnt seem to fit well with this half, so I'll wait to upload them. I'm still not sure where this story is going, so if anyone sees a good ending or has an idea, feel free to tell me so. I wont upload the rest if I dont get some kind of positive feedback, so please review._


End file.
